West African leaders hold emergency meeting on Ivory Coast

West African leaders were huddling in Nigeria on Friday over how best to defuse an escalating crisis in Ivory Coast, where President Laurent Gbagbo refuses to concede power. The 15-member Economic Community of West African...

Inflation Rises, BI Rate to Be Revised

Bank Indonesia still keeps the benchmark interest rate BI Rate at 6.5 percent. However, should the inflation rate be be above five percent, the central bank weigh a chance to increase the BI Rate. "The current core inflation...

3 Convicted in Terror Plot in Australia

Three men who believed Islam was under threat from Western nations were convicted in an Australian court Thursday of plotting a suicide attack against a Sydney army base. The men - Australian citizens of Somali or Lebanese...

Investors Consider Indonesia as Promising

The National Economic Committee (KEN) releases an outlook on the 2010 Indonesian economy. The Indonesian government is seen as capable of stabilizing the economy despite the flat outcome. The committee stated that Indonesia...

NW Pakistan gun battle leaves 35 dead

Pakistan (AFP) – Taliban insurgents launched co-ordinated attacks on five paramilitary checkpoints in northwestern Pakistan Friday, leaving at least 11 soldiers and 24 militants dead, officials said. "At least 11 of our...

Japan approves record budget draft

The Japanese government on Friday approved a record budget draft for the next fiscal year aimed at boosting economic growth and increasing jobs. The 92.4 trillion yen ($1.11 trillion) budget draft is the nation's largest...

Violence up in Afghanistan, UN warns

Afghanistan is seeing higher levels of violence this year than last year at this time, with 20% more civilians killed and the number of "security incidents" up by 66%, the United Nations says in a new report. The number...

Man arrested in Malaysia for on-line insults

Malaysian law enforcement officials have detained a man for posting a Facebook page that allegedly included insults against the state monarch there, according to Bernama, Malaysia's official national news agency. The 40-year-old man also allegedly was responsible for Facebook postings deemed insulting to the Sultan of Johor, a ceremonial ruler of one of Malaysia's peninsular states. Authorities...

Indian police issue terror alert in Mumbai

Police issued an alert Thursday in Mumbai, saying four members of a militant group had entered the Indian city and were suspected of plotting violence on the Christmas and New Year's holidays. Himanshu Roy, Mumbai's joint...

China's Robot Waiters: No Tipping Necessary

A restaurant that opened this month in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong uses robots for waiters, boosting efficiency and providing further proof that human beings are superfluous. Machines don't grumble over tips....

U.S. threatens WTO action on China rare earth curbs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – China has refused repeated U.S. requests to eliminate export restraints on rare earths that have rattled its trading partners, the U.S. Trade Representative's office said on Thursday. "Going forward, the United States will continue to pursue vigorous engagement with China on this issue and will not hesitate to take further action, including WTO dispute settlement, if appropriate,"...

Medvedev Praises Obama for Treaty

Russia’s president, Dmitri A. Medvedev, on Friday called the New Start treaty “a cornerstone of security for the coming decades,” and spoke warmly of President Obama, saying that “under very difficult circumstances, he managed...

West African Leaders Hold Second Emergency Meeting On Ivory Coast Crisis

West African leaders are holding emergency talks in the Nigerian capital Abuja Friday on how best to address the escalating crisis in the Ivory Coast. Laurent Gbagbo's refusal to step down as president has resulted in deadly...

Many stores open today for last-minute shoppers

Whether last-minute shoppers have been too busy until now to Christmas shop, or their procrastination just provides an adrenaline rush, many stores will be open today to oblige them. Today's Christmas Eve mad dash is expected...

Police search Mumbai for 4 in alleged terror plot

MUMBAI, India (AP) — Police searched India's financial capital on Friday for four men who authorities believe entered Mumbai to carry out a terrorist attack, a top police official said. Authorities issued a terror alert...

New South Korea exercises to test border tension

South Korea has said it will hold new large-scale military drills involving ground and air live fire on Thursday. Artillery, jets and about 800 soldiers will take part, the government said, alongside separate naval exercises...

Heavy rains, mud slides wash away Christmas spirit in California

LOS ANGELES -- Many Californians who endured flooding, mud slides and evacuations during a weeklong onslaught of rain now must clean up or even rebuild -- and some may not be able to spend Christmas at home. The storm's...

Firms licensed to do business in countries on U.S. terror list

An obscure Treasury Department office has granted licenses to major U.S. companies to do business with companies in Iran and other nations deemed state sponsors of terrorism, under a federal law that allows certain products to be exported to those countries, Treasury officials said Thursday. The officials' remarks came after the New York Times Web site reported that the Treasury's Office of Foreign...

Anyone can rent President Obama's vacation home

President Obama has arrived in Hawaii for a 10-day vacation, once again staying at a private rental home in Kailua, a residential community on the Windward Coast of Oahu, about a half hour's drive from his childhood home...

Taliban says Afghan stress weakened Holbrooke

The Afghan Taliban said on Tuesday diplomat Richard Holbrooke was a "giant of American politics and diplomacy" but had been weakened by the challenge of trying to end a war that has dragged on for nearly a decade. Taliban Spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said the Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s caused the death of their leaders, although he did not cite medical evidence, and added...

North Korea has at least one other uranium enrichment site: US

The United States said Tuesday that North Korea has "at least one other" uranium enrichment site than that disclosed to US experts last month, saying the issue raised concerns. The remarks from State Department spokesman...

Pakistan India Peace Deal

Most of people know about the cyberwar between Pakistan And India. No need to explain how much both sides suffered. After some long conversation we decided now to make a thread to finalise a peace deal.From Pakistan Side PCA,Pakcobra's,UrduHack Team,Itqalam and CyberHax0rs have already agreed to this peace deal. Also ICA and indishell did the same from Indian side. Here r a few rules which i think...

Police arrest Nepal's ex-crown prince over gunshot

Police arrested Nepal's former crown prince Paras Shah on Tuesday for firing his gun during a drunken late-night argument at an upmarket resort. Shah, who as crown prince was notorious and unpopular for his playboy lifestyle,...

Dell doubles China spending to $250 billion by 2020

Dell will likely spend $250 billion in China on procurement and other investments over the next 10 years as it expands in the world's No. 2 PC market, the head of its China operations said on Tuesday. The forecast is more...

Japan-operated tanker attacked off Somali coast

Officials say a Japanese-operated chemical tanker has been strafed by gunfire from an unidentified vessel off the Somali coast slightly wounding two crew members. Transport ministry officials said Tuesday they are investigating...

Islamic party quits Pakistan government over minister

ISLAMABAD  – An Islamic party said on Tuesday it was pulling out of Pakistan's ruling coalition after the dismissal of one of its members as a minister, but the government was not expected to fall. "It is impossible...

FACTBOX - How the Chinese and Indian economies stack up

As Asia's growth titans China and India race to modernise and urbanise their countries, ties between them could be increasingly tested as they compete to realise their economic ambitions. In both national and per capita...

Japan to continue paying $2 billion for US troops

Japan's government agreed Tuesday to continue contributing $2.2 billion a year toward the cost of stationing American troops in the country. Under the agreement with the United States, Japan's share will remain at the current 188 billion yen ($2.2 billion) through March 2016. The current pact expires next March. Japan had sought a cut in its payment during months of negotiations on the renewal because...